Wire fence



(No Model.) v v C. L; ET'HERIDGE.

' WIRE FENCE.

No. 600,639.. Patented Mal 15, 1898.

lhvrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OARROL L. ETHERIDGE, OFJOPLIN, MISSOURI.

WIRE F ENC E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,639, dated March 15, 1898. Application filed January 25,1898. Serial No. 667,924. (No model.)

T 0 ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARROL L. ETHERIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement is directed to a construction of line-wires,'vertical links connecting them ,and tie-wires binding certain of the links with the line-wires, whereby the alternate links on one side of the fence are'bound and braced to the line-wires, leaving the connecting-links between the other line-wires on the other side of the fence free to move vertically independent of the line-wires, whereby the fence is both braced and rendered flexible. This construction gives the advantage of binding the links on one side of the fence to the line-wires, leaving the links on the other side of the fence free to slide over the ends of the links which are bound to the line-wires, thereby giving greater durability to the fence.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown in Figure 1 my improved wire fence, one of the posts representing the end post of the line and having the wire-stretching winders. Fig. 2 shows,enlarged,the verticallinks and their bound connection with the linewires. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 4 shows a portion of the fencewires as they appear when under pressure, and Fig. 5 shows one of the links bound at each end to the line-wires and the connecting-links free to move on the bound link.

Vertical stays or links 2 and 3 connect the line-wires 4, to brace and strengthen them, while the fence is rendered flexible to yield to the pressure of stock rearing upon the linewires by the manner of such link connection. The end of each link is formed with an eye 5 projecting at right angles on the same side of the link, and the eyed projections of one link stand opposite to those of its connected link, so that one link will pass through the eyes of its connected link at their connected ends, as best seen in Fig. 5. The eyes are not engaged with each other, so that the line-wires pass between the eyed ends of the links, and the ends of the links 3 on one side of the fence are free to slide upon the bound links 2 on the other side of the fence. This construction allows the upper eyed ends of the stays or links 2 to rest upon or be engaged with the line-wires. The eyed ends of the top and bottom links are fixed to the top and bottom line-wires, and the two line-wires above the bottom one are fixed to the ends of the links connecting them, to stiffen the lower part of the fence against small stock. To prevent the links from sliding or spreading along the line-wires, I fasten each alternate link by tie wires 6, wrapped around the line-wires on each side of the link and crossing and wrapped around the eyed end of the link itself, as at7 in Fig. 5. This tie-fastening I apply only to the links the upper ends of which rest upon or engage the line-wires on one side of the fence. This construction binds the alternate links 2 and their connecting line-wires together both horizontally and vertically, while the connecting stays or links 3 are free to move vertically independent of the line-wires, and thereby render the fence comparatively stiff, yet free to yield to pressure, which will cause the united links to v used and those at the bottom of the fence may be close together. The links are also close enough together to prevent hogs or other small stock from passing between them. This construction of the fence makes it effective in a length of from seventy to one hundred feet between the posts.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the end post, and the line-wires may be connected to it by any suitable winding devices secured to the post,

such as a winding-plug for each wire, (seen at 10.) i

In Figs. 3 and 4 may be seen at 9 the sliding of the ends of the links 3 on one side of the fence on the bound links 2 on the other side of the fence, and in Fig. 4: may be seen how this sliding of the links allows the linewires to yield and under their proper tension to resume their normal alinement.

While I prefer the construction shown of connecting the alternate tied and untied links to each other and to the line-wires, yet any suitable connection may be provided that Will give the results and advantages due to having the links bound and unbound to the line-Wires, as I have stated.

I claim as my improvement 1. In a Wire fence, the combination with the line-Wires of the vertical eyed links or stays bound and braced to the line-wires on one side of the fence and the links on the other side of the fence connecting by a sliding joint the bound links at the line-Wires.

2. In a Wire fence, the combination with the line Wires, and means for tightening them, and vertical stays or links having eyed ends coupling each on the. opposite sides of the line-Wires, of tie-Wires secured to the linethe links on one side of the fence to bind said 7 links horizontally and vertically to the line- Wires, the connecting-links on the other side of the fence being free to slide upon the bound links.

CARROL L. ETHERIDGE. Witnesses:

A. N. WINOHEsTER, T. W. OSTERLOH. 

